Hobson’s Brewery is a railway layout in 7mm scale finescale 0 gauge. Designed and started by Bob Alderman, as he continues his battle with MND it is being completed by proxy (i.e. he tells the actual builders what needs doing). What will be delivered is a finescale model railway that Bob will be able to fully operate using a joystick. In this context up/down on the joystick will select the mode and left/right will then achieve the required movement. The mode is indicated by an array of LEDs. The available modes are Loco, Capstan, Turntable, Point, Uncouplers and Traverser. More details of the layout and its control system will feature in an upcoming Railway Modeller magazine and this is only intended to be something of a taster.

Early days with showing the laser cut cabinet with the traverser off scene to the right, the single point, wagon turntable to the left and what I’ve termed the capstan behind it to draw wagons off the turntable towards the brewery.

View from the traverser prior to ballasting.

Early days with cinder ballasting underway.

Just a few wires with the capstan drive lower left – the white units are the uncouplers.

Beer wagon converted from a Cattle Van in front of the completed laser cut brewery building.

A selection of scenes from the finished model.

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Traverser in Operation.

Traverser mechanism.

Traverser Stepper Motor.

And the traverser control system.

Turntable in Operation

Again a simple left and right control – note the adjustable micro switch operating mechanisms.

A wagon being drawn off and then onto the capstan.

And the mechanism not concealed by a wagon.

The drive mechanism for the capstan.

Setting the drawbar dropper at the correct height.

Forming the drawbar dropper.

Drawbar dropper on wagon with drawbar magnets visible.

Amazing what can be achieved with laser cut MDF.

One of the uncoupler magnets with servo arm.

And mounted under the baseboard.

Control system for the locomotive. This method gives both speed and direction control from simple ‘left’ and ‘right’ actions on the joy stick.

And to finish an Overview of the visually complete layout.

As at Early September the software has been written and the hardware is largely complete, but requires packaging up.